Han Xiang

Chapter 53
Yuan Shu frowned and snorted coldly: "All the heroes are recruiting soldiers, why do you want me to abolish the soldiers? Want to cut off Huainan's hands?"

"I have no intention of doing so. The current natural disasters have reduced food production, and the court officials have spent a lot of money. I really can't afford to continue to increase troops." Yan Xiang couldn't tell the pain in his heart. He couldn't shake the interest groups, so he could only start by reducing military supplies.

Yuan Shu claimed that the emperor set up a hundred officials, and the officials were still the same officials, but their salaries generally rose with the promotion of official positions. In addition, Yuan Shu also built a large number of construction projects to build a palace of pleasure for himself.

The emperor of the Zhong family was able to share wealth with the middle and upper classes, but he still ignored the officers and soldiers of the lower classes. As for the people at the bottom, they were completely ignored. With the intensification of wars, natural disasters, corvee and taxes, the life of Huainan people became more and more difficult. .

The army is the lifeline of the country, and Yuan Shu would never disarm the army, no matter how stupid he was, he stood up immediately after hearing Yan Xiang's defense, first glanced at His Royal Highness and his officials, and finally fell on Yan Xiang.

"Natural disasters are not limited to Huainan. Which one of Lu Bu, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao has dismissed his soldiers? The rebel Sun Ce occupied Wujun last month, and there are also locust plagues and droughts in Jiangdong. Will Sun Ce be dismissed because of the large number of troops? Without an army, what can he defeat? Zou Tuo, Yan Baihu?"

"I don't mean that."

"It's fine if you don't, Yan Qing, as the chief minister, only needs to coordinate the money and food of the whole country, and you don't have to worry about the military. I have my own concerns with the generals."

"I"

Yan Xiang was about to cry when he heard this, and changed from chief secretary to chief minister. Although his official position has been greatly promoted, the scope of his duties has not changed at all. On the contrary, this family has become more and more difficult to manage.

After Yuan Shu beat Yan Xiang, he stared at Yang Hong and asked, "Qing's plan of pack wolves and tigers will not work, but let Sun Ce attack and occupy Wu County one by one. If you don't control the situation, you may lose Jiangdong, so you have nothing to say?"

Yang Hong wiped off the sweat from his forehead, walked out of the train, and clapped his hands and explained: "Your Majesty, Zou Tuo, Qian Tong, Wang Sheng, Yan Baihu and others all have selfish intentions, and they fought on their own without a unified schedule. Sun Ce took advantage of the loophole"

"Don't talk about the reason like Da Sinong. What I want to hear now is the countermeasure, understand?"

"Uh, our army has been newly defeated, the soldiers have no fighting spirit, and natural disasters are raging, and food and grass are difficult to raise. It is not the right time to conquer Sun Ce at this time. There are many thieves entrenched in Jiangdong. I suggest that you continue to be gentle and use thieves to defeat thieves."

Yuan Shu pondered for a moment after hearing this, then stretched his sleeves and sat down, looked at Yang Hong and asked again: "As you said, Huairou Jiangdong Zongzong's thief, deal with the rebel Sun Ce, but what about Cao Cao? How about Lu Bu? Even Chen People like Yu dare to rob my Guangling, so the conscription and expansion of the army must continue, and you should also give advice to Da Sinong, trying to solve the immediate problem."

After hearing this, Yang Hong turned around and glanced at Yan Xiang. He also knew that Huainan's expenditures were mainly from the imperial court, but cutting off people's wealth is like killing their parents, so he didn't have the courage to ask Yuan Shu to attack the officials.

"Your Majesty, my fellow countrymen came from Chen Guo last year. It is said that under the rule of King Chen, the harvest has been abundant year after year. The people live in peace and the treasury is full. Why don't your majesty borrow food from King Chen?"

There is no good way to reduce expenditure internally, and Yang Hong quickly thought of opening up external sources.

"Chen Wang? That's a good idea." Yuan Shu nodded slightly, and followed the instructions: "I have an old relationship with Chen Wang. Since this matter was initiated by Yang Qing, I took Qing to Chen Guo to ask for food and rice for me. One hundred thousand dendrobium."

"Yes, I take orders." Yang Hong bowed and saluted. When he bowed his head to answer, he felt like he was in a cocoon.

Chen State is located in a small prefecture state between Yuzhou and Yanzhou. From the establishment of the state by Liu Xian in the second year of Zhanghe (88) to the current monarch Liu Chong, there have been six generations. The state ruled eight counties of Chenxian, Xinping, and Changping. Yingchuan, Chenliu, Runan, Peiguo, and Liangguo are surrounded in the center.

Runan is adjacent to Chen State, and Yuan Shu was born in the most wealthy family in Runan, so he said in the hall that he has an old relationship with Liu Chong. Currently, Runan and the southern part of Pei State are actually controlled by Yuan Shu, and the northern part of the two counties is Cao Cao's sphere of influence.

Because of the fear of Cao Cao in his heart, although Yuan Shu knew that Chen Guo was rich, he never dared to take Liu Chong's idea. If Huainan was not facing difficulties, Yuan Shu would not agree to Yang Hong's plan.

Later, Yang Hong took Yuan Shu's letter and went to Chen Guo to ask for food.

He thought that Liu Chong would sell Yuan Shu's face, even if the food cost was less than [-] hu, [-] to [-] should not be a problem, but the results were often unexpected.

Yang Hong didn't even meet Liu Chong, so he was sternly rejected by Prime Minister Luo Jun. Luo Jun not only scolded Yuan Shu as a traitor, but also beat Yang Hong out of Chen County with a stick.

Yang Hong returned to Shouchun with a bruised nose and swollen face. He prostrated himself in front of Yuan Shu and wept bitterly, berating Liu Chong for instigating the prime minister Luo Jun to be rude.

"Yang Qing has been wronged. Since Chen Guo refuses to borrow money, tomorrow I will call a group of ministers to discuss and see if there is any other way."

Seeing Yang Hong's appearance, Yuan Shu felt very uncomfortable in his heart. As the saying goes, it depends on the owner to beat a dog. Even if you don't borrow food, you shouldn't be so rude.

Yang Hong heard that Yuan Shu didn't intend to pursue it, and thought that this beating was for nothing?So he got up angrily and said: "Your Majesty, Luo Jun's intention is the intention of King Chen. Luo Jun's use of sticks to expel his subjects is actually sweeping His Majesty's face. It's okay for a subject to be beaten, but how can His Majesty's face be insulted?"

Yuan Shuxu opened his eyes and replied, "Don't I know what you said? It's just that Chen State is adjacent to Yingchuan. If you dare to use troops against it, Cao Cao will definitely take advantage of the situation to attack. The current morale of Huainan's army may be difficult to defeat Cao's bandit soldiers."

"Cao Cao was defeated in Wancheng at the beginning of the year. Zhang Xiu took the opportunity to seize Wuyang and other places. He should be too busy to take care of himself now. How can he spare time to manage the affairs of Chen Guo? Now there is a famine everywhere. Cao Cao, Lu Bu, and Sun Ce are not short of food. ? If your Majesty does not take it, you must take it for others." Yang Hong said in the end that he was heartbroken.

"I'm worried that if we use troops against Chen Guo, Lu Bu will take advantage of the situation to attack, and Huainan is currently having difficulty raising food, so it may be difficult to support a big battle." Yuan Shu was still hesitant.

Yang Hong said again: "It is indeed unwise to attack Chen head-on. Your Majesty can use clever tactics to obtain it."

"Scheming? Tell me quickly." Yuan Shu was shocked when he heard this.

Yang Hong patted his court uniform, cleared his throat and said, "Then Liu Chong relies on his clan and has some martial arts skills, so the country's military equipment is not secret. Your Majesty can send his confidants to lure and kill him secretly. King Chen If you die, the country will be in chaos. At that time, our army will enter the country quickly, and the land, money and food of Chen country will be at your fingertips."

"The plan is clever but."

Yuan Shu stroked his beard and nodded lightly, paused and hesitated.

"Once I head north, the secret workers lurking in Shouchun will definitely spread the news. I'm afraid that before the Huainan army arrives in Chen State, Lu Bu and Cao Cao will send troops to contain them. At that time, Yang Qing's ingenious plan will marry someone else. "

Yang Hong was confident, and said confidently: "Chen Yu took advantage of the chaos to steal Guangling, why doesn't your majesty pretend to attack Guangling? Divert the attention of Lu Bu, Cao Cao and others, and wait until the army enters Guangling, and then turn around and enter Peiguo."

(End of this chapter)